5 Surprising Ways to Increase Productivity
Are you a procrastinator? Do you spend countless hours each week dwelling on all the tasks you’d like to complete each week then find yourself spinning your wheels and not finishing any one of those tasks?
Do you have great intentions then start project after project only to find yourself never finishing anything?
Do you have a hard time getting started on boring or dull work that just needs to get done?
Wouldn’t it be great to be more productive?
Wouldn’t it be great to be able to focus on and finish the most important projects on your plate?
Well, I can tell you that most of this sounds like me… does it sound like you, too?
I realized I was a procrastinator years ago and likely have been my whole life. It’s not that I don’t spend hours upon hours each day working. I have great ideas and lots to share - too many great ideas and grand projects, in fact. This is what made things frustrating for me - I’d spend countless hours working but just could not seem to get things done.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and create to-list after list. Sometimes this helps to create a focus of what needs to get done, but if you can’t start checking items off your list and find yourself only adding to it, then you’ll never start getting ahead.
This had always been a problem of mine. But I’ve discovered a few things that seem to be working for me. And this week, I’d like to share my top 5 tips with you so that you, too, can become more productive!
Just realize that you probably won’t become more productive overnight. It might be best to start by making small, manageable changes - changes that you can actually implement and feel good about.
Start following some of these habits and stay focused. Then, bit by bit, you’ll find yourself becoming more efficient and productive!
My top tips to improve productivity
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1. Schedule your time
This was the best thing I could have done for myself! In fact, I can honestly say it was liberating!
I started by first scheduling in jobs that I knew had to get done each day.
For me, first thing each morning is dedicated to a little exercise followed by various administrative duties like checking and responding to emails, paying bills, setting appointments, etc. I included time each morning for a long dog walk and each afternoon for a smaller dog walk and stretch break. I scheduled in time to eat and connect with my husband. Then I decided when I needed to put a pause on work to start making dinner.
Once all these “must-dos” were in place, I figured out how much time I had left over that I could dedicate to my work, then designated each day of the week for a particular task.
For me, I set Mondays as reading and research days - I have so many books on my shelf I want to read but never seemed to have time for. So if reading was baked into my schedule, then that’s what I would do. Along with that, if some good new article or podcast came across my desk that I wanted to check out, I’d leave it for Mondays. If I needed to do some research on a topic, I’d add it to Monday’s list. This way, as important information came my way, I could shelf it until then - rather than get distracted from the current project I’d be trying to complete.
Tuesdays are my days for outreach and marketing.
Wednesdays, I’ve set aside for writing and program creation. I am in the process of working on several projects here, but at least I have a day where I know I can focus on these and nothing else!
Thursdays and Fridays are for content writing. I know blog writing is quite time-consuming for me, as I am constantly working to produce quality content weekly.
Finally, the weekends I left open to complete any unfinished tasks from the week, spend time with my family (hubby and 2 doggos), and/or do some batch cooking or baking. Generally, weekends were for whatever I’d like to do - including going on a weekly “date” with Joe to peruse our local Farmer’s Market, run errands, and grab a coffee.
Of course, client meetings are scheduled whenever it’s convenient, so some days, I may not get to do all the things I had originally scheduled, but I do what I can. Just having days set aside for various tasks is extremely helpful for me!
So, if you find your to-do list never ending and you get side-tracked by things that cross your desk, I suggest you schedule time to get everything done in a manner that works for you. I also physically write times and jobs in my agenda so that I can see exactly what I need to do daily. It may not seem like much, but this one simple step has made a world of difference - I no longer feel like I have to do everything in a day, as it’s divided throughout the week for me, depending on what type of task it is.
2. Focus on the most important tasks first
This kind of follows with tip #1. When scheduling your day (or week, or month, or quarter), make sure that you prioritize and tackle the most important or most timely tasks first. This will enable you to check something off your list and feel good about accomplishing an important task.
For me, my priority goes to my clients first. Preparing for their visits and completing their recommendation reports trump anything else. Then comes any work that needs to be completed by a deadline. Lastly, is whatever else I have on my list for the day.
Accomplishing what is most important leaves you time to do other things in a more relaxed way, so that you’re not constantly worried about the things you should be doing - sometimes to the point where nothing else gets done!
3. Create realistic goals
This again, really helped me get organized and feel better about all the things I have on my plate. Simply knowing how many hours each day I realistically had to dedicate to my work (after scheduling in dog walks, stretch breaks, and daily administrative duties) helped me realize what I could actually get accomplished.
I began by considering my annual goals and objectives. What did I want to have complete by the end of the year? Then I broke that into what I needed to complete each quarter in order to achieve my annual goals. From there, I broke that down into what I needed to do each month to make that happen.
For example, this year, I picked 2 of the books collecting dust on my shelves that I intended on reading sooner than later. Two books in one year meant 6 months to read each. At about 300 pages per book, that meant 50 pages per month would get me there. And in order to read 50 pages a month, I could read 12-15 pages every Monday (very doable), or a few pages each morning before my dog walk if I had time (again, very doable).
And would you believe that by sticking to a schedule, I’m finally making that happen!
For me, when the task in front of me is something I can honestly and realistically achieve, then any anxiety or overwhelm surrounding that task (that has become just one of many things to do) disappears.
4. Stick to one job at a time
Don’t multitask - finish one job before starting another.
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I used to get caught in this trap… I’d start something, get side-tracked by something more exciting or interesting then abandon the original job. When you get sick in this cycle, nothing gets accomplished. Moreover, you could end up feeling overwhelmed by all the additional tasks you have to complete - because you just added a new one to your list!
It’s best to complete reading 1 book before starting another. Complete writing 1 report before moving on to a different one. Clean one room of your house before moving on to another. You get the idea.
By completing what you have already started, you don’t have to worry about juggling too many things all at once. There’s no need to get overwhelmed - pick the most important task, complete it to check it off your list, then move on.
Breathe.
5. Create an optimal work environment
Part of creating an optimal work environment for me included 2 things - cleaning off my desk and purchasing an ergonomic office chair.
A cluttered workspace only adds to the mental chaos that you may be experiencing. Schedule in a time (following tip #1) to clean up your office space and clear off your desk. An uncluttered workspace is a calm workspace, conducive to letting the creative juices flow so that you can be more productive.
And for me, a new comfortable office chair was in order. The last one I had (though it looked nice), was not optimal. I kept hitting my elbows on the armrests and would start feeling a little stiff if I sat for too long.
I did some research and settled on an ergonomic high-back office chair from AnthroDesk. And from the moment I sat in it, I was impressed. It was solidly constructed and extremely comfortable with a wide, sturdy seat cushion. It provides ample padding and great ergonomic back support. I also appreciate its adjustable arm rests - no more whacking my elbows multiple times each day!
I have to say this chair has exceeded my expectations, and I recommend it to anyone needing to sit for long periods of time - especially if you’d like to reduce back pain, improve your posture, and increase your productivity. When your job requires you to sit at length, there’s nothing more unpleasant than being uncomfortable in a cluttered workspace.
Conclusion
Becoming more productive is something I have been working on diligently this year. I’ve made it my goal to stay focused, be more productive, and get stuff done!
So far, the changes I have implemented have been working and I finally feel like the CEO that I am!
Comment below with what additional tips you may have that have helped you become more productive and feel better about yourself. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
